American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Chief Executive Officer’s Report
June, 2013
Dear Diplomates, Candidates & Constituents,
Since completing my first year as ACVIM CEO last fall, I have reflected judiciously on my challenges faced, successes reached, and mistakes made. The year was chock-full with learning experiences and unpredictably lengthy to-do lists. I admit to being relieved when that daunting first year was behind me and I marched fearlessly into year two, a wiser albeit older woman.
As I near the end of my second year, I’d like to share a mere portion of the dizzyingly long list of projects completed and express my gratitude for the assistance I’ve received from ACVIM staff.
ü Recruitment, hiring, and training of staff and management in Conference Management, Constituent Services, Marketing & Communication, Publications, Administrative Services, and Accounting; providing opportunities for professional development, mentoring, and performance evaluation for all ACVIM staff
ü My concurrent appointment as interim Foundation Executive Director, subsequent recruitment & orientation of a new Foundation Director, following the Board-mandated reduction of programs & staff and realignment of budget and finances
ü Comprehensive project management over 12+ month initiative of selection, acquisition, installation, configuration, implementation and data conversion to Euclid ClearVantage (CV) Membership Management system (from Robust); coordination of deactivation of Robust system and ACVIM
ü Executive oversight of vendor selection, design, migration and launch of totally redesigned ACVIM and ACVIM Forum websites with extensive integration with Euclid ClearVantage to minimize duplicate entry and increase data accuracy with reduced staff effort
ü Migration to QuickBooks Premier 2012 from Sage BusinessWorks for College and Foundation general ledger, accounts receivable and payable, financial reporting, payroll, and leave accrual
ü Redesign of general ledger account and financial reports structure for College and Foundation and overhaul of accounting procedures for more accurate, timely and relevant reporting
ü Completion of College and Foundation audits for fiscal years ending 2011 and 2012, with streamlined process for month-end closings to simplify audits and significantly reduce audit expenses
ü Executive oversight for needs assessment, development of request for proposal (RFP), response evaluation, vendor selection, contract execution for Corona Insights’ market survey and brand assessment initiative; counsel to Corona representatives throughout 12+month engagement
ü Renegotiation and consolidation of all property, liability, and employee insurance policies and vendor contracts for teleconferencing / web conferencing, internet and application hosting, credit card processing, and facility maintenance for improved services and cost savings
ü Development and management of RFP process, including response evaluation and committee orientation for investment management services for ACVIM’s reserves portfolio.
These humble accomplishments pale in comparison to the personal and professional achievements of our dedicated Diplomates and Candidates, many of whom have also devoted countless hours of volunteer service to ACVIM. As we gather in Seattle for the 2013 ACVIM Forum, I invite you to join me in celebrating all of our successes over the past year!
Although I’m thrilled with all that we’ve achieved, I’m reminded of a quote by Bill Gates: “It's fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.”
I believe that failure is not only a powerful motivator but also a necessary evil when trying new things, so my wish for you for the coming year is to fearlessly face failure. Push the boundaries – embrace even your most remarkable failures as you strive for magnificent success!
Respectfully submitted,
Roberta G. Herman, CAE
ACVIM Chief Executive Officer